UFC 230 Preview: What Are the Biggest and Best Fights Set for MSG?
The UFC has slots to fill on its many, many cards, and that takes priority over everything; a fact that has become painfully clear heading into UFC 230.
In 2016, the UFC finally realized its dream of hosting events in New York state following a lengthy ban on MMA. In celebration of that, the promotion has made an effort to turn its annual Madison Square Garden event into one of the biggest cards of the year.
It kicked things off properly at UFC 205 in 2016 with the gargantuan card headlined by Eddie Alvarez vs. Conor McGregor. That was followed with UFC 217, which was topped by Michael Bisping vs. Georges St-Pierre.
UFC 230, though, was doomed to be different.
While both UFC 205 and UFC 217 featured a trio of title fights, this was made impossible for UFC 230. Too many champions were already booked for fights later in the year and those that weren't were unavailable due to injuries.
Fans and pundits wondered who might appear to top the card...
Brock Lesnar? Jon Jones? St-Pierre?
The days rolled on and options just kept getting taken off the table. Eventually, with no options left, the UFC had to just make whatever fight it could. And that fight, as reported by ESPN, is a flyweight title bout between Valentina Shevchenko and Sijara Eubanks.
To say that this news was poorly received would be a colossal understatement.
The full card currently stands as follows (bout order TBA):
- Valentina Shevchenko vs. Sijara Eubanks
- Dustin Poirier vs. Nate Diaz
- Luke Rockhold vs. Chris Weidman
- Ronaldo Souza vs. David Branch
- Derek Brunson vs. Israel Adesanya
- Jason Knight vs. Jordan Rinaldi
- Lyman Good vs. Sultan Aliev
- Brian Kelleher vs. Domingo Pilarte
- Matt Frevola vs. Lando Vannata
- Karl Roberson vs. Jack Marshman
- Julio Arce vs. Sheymon Moraes
- Shane Burgos vs. Kurt Holobaugh
So can UFC 230 be saved? Are these fights any good? And what is actually worth looking forward to as a fan?
Read on and find out in our UFC 230 preview.
The (Likely) Main Event: Valentina Shevchenko vs. Sijara Eubanks
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Poor, poor Valentina Shevchenko and Sijara Eubanks...
While it's impossible to blame the two of them for taking the opportunity to headline this card, the two flyweights have taken serious heat from fans over the state of UFC 230.
That's hugely unfair, given the simple fact that blame falls entirely upon the UFC, but it's easy to see why few are particularly enthused about this fight.
Shevchenko, for her part, is a bona fide elite. She was a steady part of the bantamweight title picture during her time and looks even better as a flyweight, competing against women her own size. While she's most often pegged as a formidable kickboxer, going undefeated for 11 years, her most eye-catching skills are her quick, vicious submissions.
She was previously pegged to face Nicco Montano for the title at UFC 228 and was one of the most lopsided favorites in recent UFC history heading into that contest. That's unlikely to change here as she faces a less-established Eubanks.
The story surrounding Eubanks entering this fight has basically been the simple fact that almost nobody, not even UFC commentators, know who she is.
That anonymity isn't a sign of a lack of talent, as her run on The Ultimate Fighter season 26 showed that she's capable of taking wins over solid competition, but she is so early in her professional career with such a humble record (3-2) that it's tough to get especially excited about her.
The film suggests that Eubanks will be at a disadvantage in every area of the cage and should be fairly easy pickings for Shevchenko. While that's not necessarily a bad thing, it certainly is a far cry from the Shevchenko vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk contest that got scuttled to make this a reality.
The (Likely) Co-Main Event: Dustin Poirier vs. Nate Diaz
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Nate Diaz vs. Dustin Poirier has become one of the strangest pairings in UFC history.
Not because of the actual fight, mind you. The actual fight promises to be spectacular, bringing together two of the best, most exciting competitors in the lightweight division for what should be one of 2018's most exciting tilts. No, it's everything surrounding their bout that has made this such a wacky affair.
On September 25, out of nowhere, Diaz took to Twitter to announce that he wouldn't be facing Poirier at 155 pounds as was initially planned. Instead, he would face him for the inaugural 165-pound title.
Poirier seemingly confirmed the news just minutes later...only to have UFC President Dana White come out and pour water on both of them by denying that this was the case.
Despite White's shutting it down, enthusiasm over the idea from fans, pundits and fighters didn't wane. Even as the solidarity between Diaz and Poirier faded, fantasy matchups were made and support for the idea just kept pouring in on all fronts.
This fact, coupled what appeared to be frustration from White over the positive reaction to the initial push, led to a multitude of theories over why the UFC was refusing to pull the trigger (none of which were positive).
It's unclear what Diaz's intent was when he started it, but it ended up being a brilliant move. Every potential main event for the card was weighed against the teased 165-pound title main event and there are very, very few that could match that.
And when the eventual news of Shevchenko vs. Eubanks came? The outcry was so loud that White took to social media to address it, stating that he would attempt to make Diaz vs. Poirier the main event of the card.
Regardless, whether the fight ends up being three rounds or five rounds, 155 pounds or 165, it should be an amazing one.
Diaz, even after two years out, remains a compelling talent, while Poirier has cemented himself as one of the sport's best. This is the real UFC 230 main event, no matter who ends up on top of the card.
Fight to Keep an Eye On: Israel Adesanya vs. Derek Brunson
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Few fighters in MMA right now are as compelling as Israel Adesanya.
From 2012 to 2017, the New Zealander juggled work as an elite-level kickboxer and a regional MMA attraction.
He took the full-time plunge by signing with the UFC earlier this year and has rocketed out of the gate, amassing a 3-0 record in the Octagon (14-0 overall).
Along the way, he has proved himself to be a promotional treasure, with a gift of gab and exciting in-cage style that can translate to wins over high-end competition.
The sky is the limit for Adesanya, and while the UFC may have been better served by putting him on a slow burn, they're instead setting him up to jump directly into the title picture with a matchup opposite Derek Brunson.
Brunson hasn't set the world on fire, but the Jackson-Winkeljohn product is a top-10 staple at this point with solid grappling and huge knockout power. His losses have exclusively come at the hands of the middleweight division's elites. For somebody like Adesanya, who already has the ball rolling in that direction, a win over Brunson is the most efficient way to establish himself in that discussion.
Because of Adesanya's "next big thing" status, this fight warrants a closer look than most, even on a deceptively deep UFC 230 card. If he can beat Brunson, he is instantly a top-tier middleweight. If he can do it emphatically? He could just jump right into a title shot in 2019.
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The Best of the Rest
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Luke Rockhold vs. Chris Weidman
It was a hard fall for Chris Weidman. Over the course of 18 short months, the New Yorker went from being champion to reeling from three consecutive knockout losses. Side by side with that, his schedule slowed as new talent emerged in the middleweight division. He wasn't gone...but he was pretty much forgotten.
He righted the ship, at least to some degree, by beating Kelvin Gastelum, but a long layoff has seen him once again placed on the backburner. He has a great opportunity to make up for lost time at UFC 230, however, as he rematches the man that first took his title, Luke Rockhold.
Rockhold is coming off some hard times of his own. Since dropping the title himself to Michael Bisping in 2016, Rockhold has fought just twice in under-the-radar contests.
His opportunity to recapture gold at UFC 221 was ultimately spoiled when newly minted champ Robert Whittaker was forced off the card due to an injury, and his top contender status evaporated when he was defeated by Yoel Romero.
A teased move to 205 pounds at UFC 227 was inexplicably scuttled when he sustained a leg injury, leading him back into the middleweight division.
Both men have a lot on the line at UFC 230 and should combine for a solid fight. Picking a winner is nigh impossible, however, with ring rust, weight cutting and recovery from injuries being a factor for both men.
Ronaldo Souza vs. David Branch
Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza has been trapped in an unenviable position for a long while now. Despite holding a place among the middleweight elite since 2012, he hasn't ever managed to get a coveted UFC title shot.
He's come close on a few occasions but each time he came close, a narrow split decision loss was there to send him to the back of the line.
At age 38, the door is quickly closing on any hopes of holding gold, and he's had no luck with how the chips have fallen with the rest of the division. Ultimately, the only thing he can do is take on reasonably solid competition, and that's what he gets at UFC 230 with David Branch.
The former two-division WSOF champion was dealt a tough loss last year by Luke Rockhold but rebounded in April by knocking out Thiago Santos. Though he remains far outside the title picture himself, he is a legitimate threat to anyone in the division.
Souza will have his work cut out for him here, but he should be able to handle his fellow veteran. Whether it leads to anything bigger for him, however, remains to be seen.
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